Isn’t it Ironic?

Protocols like wearing of face masks, social distancing, suspension of public transport have been imposed for all of us to be free from Covid. To achieve this sort of freedom, cops had to arrest and lock up a handful of jeepney drivers for violating protocols, with a bail each worth P 3,000.00. Now, the drivers don’t have freedom. No freedom for freedom.

Isn’t it ironic?

A cop disinfects a place so people would not die from Covid. Then, he dies from that very solution that is supposed to save lives, sooner than he could have died from Covid, with even less chance of survival from the viral infection. Simply tragic.

Isn’t it ironic?

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora breaches health protocols in Baguio City. Just weeks ago, this same mayor had strong stand and statements against former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada for violating probably the same health protocols while distributing relief goods to needy residents.(Why do I find it hard to believe that some politics was not involved in the earlier incident? Why do I find it hard to believe that the police escort driving the lead cars in mayor Zamora’s convoy are accountable for the breach in the later incident?)

Isn’t it ironic?

Remember when the President was all beast mode against the United States of America and quickly decided to cancel the Visiting Forces Agreement, for the sake of his beloved Sen. Bato de la Rosa whose US visa got cancelled? Remember how he made so much noise about it? Well, just recently he has quietly decided not to push through with the suspension of the agreement, reportedly due to recent global political developments. I think I have a theory why there’s this turnabout all of a sudden. Well, at least, the nation is being steered towards a safer direction.

Isn’t it ironic?

I don’t really want to dwell so much on the ABS-CBN franchise issue simply because I find it annoying. Come on, just hand over the franchise to them. What’s the problem? So, I don’t really follow the congressional deliberations very closely. I think and hope that there is enough justice in this nation that eventually the network would be permitted to open again. But as I was browsing the links on youtube for something to entertain myself, I came across the latest deliberations on the issue, so I thought, why not, let’s watch this. Then, I was treated to Congressman Marcoleta going in circles in interrogation grill against ABS-CBN Chairman Emeritus Gabby Lopez regarding his citizenship. There were soundbytes of authorities attesting that Lopez’s dual citizenship does not violate the laws against non-Filipino citizens being proprietors of mass media networks. But it seemed that the Congressman wouldn’t have anything of it. He seems to be unstoppable in pursuing his agenda which appeared to be constitutional, legal and national. There’s even this ridiculous part in which the Congressman asked Lopez to recite the first lines of the Panatang Makabayan, and asked him which side he would pick in case war breaks out between the Philippines and the US. Now, this sounds like hollow talk that prepubescent boys do when bragging among themselves. Shudder to think of war against the superpower that is USA. There had been one more than a century ago and it ended with the hanging of Macario Sakay. Recitation of the pledge of allegiance and saying which side to join in a hypothetical military conflict won’t prove citizenship. Let the documents speak for themselves. Then just as the audience’s spirits are captured in Congressman Marcoleta’s passions to uphold what is constitutional, legal and national, his ranting speech winds down to his grudges against a particular ABS-CBN reporter and some anchors for not giving him his desired air time. Oh, wait a minute. All along, I thought all this was a pursuit of what is constitutional and legal, an issue that is national. Now, as it turns out, there is more than a tinge of issues that are personal.

Isn’t it ironic?

We’ve probably gotten tired in keeping ourselves updated with the number of Covid cases in the nation. There was a time, weeks ago when it would be on news headlines day by day, as it climbed to the few thousands. Now, it’s still there. But the public seems to be more concerned on public transport to go to work, observations of health protocols in public places, and steady opening of this so-called “new normal”, while placing relatively less emphasis on the reports that number of cases is shooting up to the realm of twenty-one thousands. (I simply cannot help but wonder how this happens despite the protective policies in place. Even at a personal level, forgive my potential insensitivity, but how do people still manage to get infected? Were we not all supposed to stay home as much as possible?) But as Covid cases soarin shooting up, the nation seems to be posed in opening up.

Isn’t it ironic?

Oh, I have one more, Amid all this Covid horror, for some reason, our lawmakers deemed it a priority to pass legislation that is anti-terror.

Isn’t it ironic?

“Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”

2 Peter 2:2